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Shopping Tips for
Bridesmaid Dresses
By Megan Mercer
Last Update: January 29, 2006

Okay, so you may have one bridesmaid who is a perfect size 6, but what about the others? You want all of your bridesmaids to feel confident and beautiful as they walk down the aisle, but finding a dress that suits everyone can be very challenging!

Here are some tips to help all of your bridesmaids look and feel their best!

1. Do some research before you hit the stores!!
Ask your bridesmaids to go online or look through bridal magazines to find styles they might be comfortable with. They'll appreciate you giving them the chance to provide input, and you can get an idea of what styles they like and are willing to wear.

2. To Each Her Own!
If your attendants have a wide range of body types and fashion sense consider allowing them to each wear a different style dress. Chances are, you can still get all the dresses in similar (or the same) colors. Also many of the new lines allow you to mix and match various styles of tops and skirts!

3. Go for the Fullest Figure.
If you have a wide-range of figure types in your bridal party and you want them to all wear the same gown, consider selecting the style that will most flatter the heavier-set person.

4. Be considerate!
Think about figure flaws that aren't always obvious. For example, do you have someone in your bridal party who has scars on her back or chest that she wouldn't want to show? Perhaps someone is self-conscious about flabby upper-arms that are accentuated by long gloves. The list goes on and on...

5. Size Does Matter!
You may have a bridesmaid who insists she's going to lose fifteen pounds before your wedding. Just in case things don't work out, coax her into a dress that suits her present body, not the one she envisions; she can always have the dress altered down a size later, but making a too-small dress bigger is a much greater challenge.

6. Three's Company...Avoid a Crowd!
Don't even think about taking all of your attendants dress shopping at the same time! This will only make things more frustrating and hectic for everyone involved...especially if you have many attendants! Choose one girl (preferably someone who is easy to shop with) and together pick out two or three dresses that you agree would be equally acceptable for the maids' attire. Later bring back all the ladies to help make the final selection, get measured, and order the dresses!